The big LIGHTS thread 2011-2014

Ouija

john2002 wrote:

30% to 70% charge state is recomendid in the link below for battery storage
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rechargeable_battery

+1

But remember these battery packs have protection circuits that constantly drain a small amount of juice from the battery, so after seven months the battery will have gone flat (something you should never let happen with a Li-Ion battery). You should get them out periodically and give them a small amount of charge unless you specifically know that the pack (or individual battery) doesn't have protection circuits.

anthdci

help! I had two Xera Gemini 850lumen flashlights, but 1 has failed and it looks like the post office has lost it on returning it to probike kit. The other is failing on my bars at the moment and will be going back to wiggle asap. So I need a replacement front light setup. My route is 80% street lights but the 20% that is the country lane is very very dark. 1 of those 850 lumen lights was just enough to see. That is why I bought a second for this winter. I would like to spend as little as possible so I was thinking about the cheaper chinese import CREE leds but I have no idea where to start and there is so much information on this thread I am drowning a bit. I have two Panasonic NCR18650A Li-Ion 3100mAh 3.7V that I bought to see if the battery in the Xera was failing but it wasn't so I guess it makes sense to use them rather than buying again. I also prefer flashlights rather than separate light-battery units as I think they look better. Two lights would also be what I would need incase one starts to fail, and it makes sense since I have two batteries. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

john2002

you cant go to wrong with one of the following

any torch with following body shell
501 small head
502 has a sligtly bigger head than the 501
C8 has a much bigger head than the other 2

and one of the following LEDS
CREE XM-L2 newist led
CREE XM-L U3
CREE XML-U2
CREE XML-T6

Here a few options
http://www.lightmalls.com/ultrafire-wf-501b-cree-xm-l2-5-modes-led-flashlight-torch-1-18650
http://www.lightmalls.com/ultrafire-wf-502b-cree-xm-l-u3-1400-lumen-5-modes-led-flashlight-1-x-18650-battery
http://www.lightmalls.com/ultrafire-501b-cree-xml-t6-1000-lumen-5-mode-led-flashlight

stellamandude

If your in a hurry, since the lighmall order will take around 2 weeks for delivery, then you could buy 2 of these.....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultrafire-WF- ... 3f2aa2dd95

and a couple of these...........(assuming you don't have mounts ?)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bike-Cycle-Li ... 258189c337

Found these with a "quick" search on Ebay, you could most probably find the same items cheaper

anthdci

Brilliant lads just what I needed to know. I've had a quick look now and I am thinking of

2x flashlights
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UltraFire-WF501B-CREE-XM-L-2-LED-5-Modes-LED-1600-Lumens-Flashlight-Mini-Torch-/151109086631?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Camping_LightsLanternsTorches&hash=item232ecdada7
I think the 501 will be wide enough since I'll be having two and I have took what John said and found one with the XM-L2 LED.

a charger
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300998185126?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

and two of the mounts stellamandude linked to. I already have 2 batteries so don't need to buy them. I cant believe the price difference between them and the models you get off wiggle etc in the UK. For two 1600 lumen flashlights it is costing less than 30quid, compared to 100 for ONE 850lumen gemini

KokaKona

anthdci wrote:

...For two 1600 lumen flashlights it is costing less than 30quid, compared to 100 for ONE 850lumen gemini

Serious bargains for sure, but the lumen figures are to be taken with a pinch of salt. If they aren't just completely made up, then they are the maximum figures for the emitter from the Cree datasheet when driven beyond what the torch will drive them too, with optimum cooling etc, etc.
Still bright though!

john2002

anthdci, sometimes with these torches they change modes if contact is lost for a sec when going over bumps etc.
check out DIY's video on how to fix it if it happens.And its good to give them a once over before you take them out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJpQAvum0bM&feature=related

also if you battery is unprotected the can be slightly shorter and bouncy around and lose contact.
you can use a small magnet on the end of the battery but my torch mad a buzzing sound when i done this so i used a short screw and inserted in to the spring on the tail cap

bartimaeus

john2002

^^^veteran ^^^

andy46

I've just recently bought my first rechargeable light, a Solarstorm x2 off ebay. I'm very pleased with it and have been using it this week.
It's had around 4 hours use and the battery died on me tonight mid ride, will this damage the battery, letting it drain empty like this?

The battery meter started flashing, which is supposed to mean around 30 minutes charge left but it was less than 10 really.

diy

It probably uses the same internal rubbish cells as all the other magic-shine like lights that are available on ebay.

I very much doubt the pack is 8.4v 6400mAh as this would suggest a 4 x 3.2Ah 4.2v 18650 config in the sealed pack.

You really can't tell what controls are in the pack, but I would "hope" for over discharge protection. In which case running it flat wont cause a problem.

I'm guessing the light is pushing about 2A each LED approx?

Ouija

It's a nice light but as with all these multi-XM-L lights it really needs to come with a bigger battery pack. A six cell (2s3p) at least for a twin head older XM-L light. My new Trustfire gets decent runtimes on full on a four cell pack (2hr 15m plus 30m "get you home" mode) but that's only because it's a newer XM-L2 light and 2hr 15min is still way too short for most of my night rides, which can be between three to four hours. Not a problem if, like me, you've got plenty of old four cell packs lying around you can join together with Y-Spliter cables but a pain in the arse if you haven't.

I'd always advise buying a spare pack (and, opionally, a splitter cable) and taking that with you on your rides as you really don't want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere in the dark. Also worth having a small head torch too (hard to switch packs in pitch black by touch alone).

andy46

Thanks for the replys, I know nothing, and I mean nothing about batterys. I've had it on charge all night and it seems to have charged (green light on) also it is a 6 cell pack, I think I will get another to swap with. I always have a little Hope Vision One with me for back up.

andy46

This is the battery I got with my light, the 6 cell version.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Rechargea ... RK:MESE:IT

broona

andy46 wrote:

This is the battery I got with my light, the 6 cell version.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Rechargea ... RK:MESE:IT

Did that come as standard, as most of the Solarstorm lights I've looked at appear to come with a 4 cell pack? Do you have a link to the light you purchased please? Cheers.

andy46

broona wrote:

andy46 wrote:

This is the battery I got with my light, the 6 cell version.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Rechargea ... RK:MESE:IT

Did that come as standard, as most of the Solarstorm lights I've looked at appear to come with a 4 cell pack? Do you have a link to the light you purchased please? Cheers.

Yes, that is the one that came in the box with it. I don't know if I've been lucky and the seller has made a mistake. On the pictures of the light it looks like a 4 cell is provided. Here's the link I used, delivery took 3 days

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultra-Bright- ... 2eca23aec7

andy46

Also, if it makes any difference I bought the light in black.

swod1

has anyone come across better quality battery packs that will work with a xml t6 light ?

I'm after some more as a backup and preferably more waterproof that the ones you get supplied with the light.

otherwise i will see if the local electronics shop can do me a couple of battery packs.

-Archie-

swod1 wrote:

packs that will work with a xml t6 light ?

What is "xml t6 light"? :roll:

Ouija

andy46 wrote:

broona wrote:

andy46 wrote:

This is the battery I got with my light, the 6 cell version.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Rechargea ... RK:MESE:IT

Did that come as standard, as most of the Solarstorm lights I've looked at appear to come with a 4 cell pack? Do you have a link to the light you purchased please? Cheers.

Yes, that is the one that came in the box with it. I don't know if I've been lucky and the seller has made a mistake. On the pictures of the light it looks like a 4 cell is provided. Here's the link I used, delivery took 3 days

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultra-Bright- ... 2eca23aec7

The image in the advertisement is definately a four cell pack as it's rectangular. A six cell pack would be much wider, like this.



I'm lucky in that at least four of my lights came with rubberised packs and click lock connectors. For anyone looking for replacements Manafont, Kaidomain, Lightmalls and DealExtreme all do replaceable rubber sealed packs, from 4cell 18650's (above) or 26650 to 8 cell 18650's, like this..

stellamandude

andy46 wrote:

Yes, that is the one that came in the box with it. I don't know if I've been lucky and the seller has made a mistake. On the pictures of the light it looks like a 4 cell is provided. Here's the link I used, delivery took 3 days

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultra-Bright- ... 2eca23aec7

I think you got lucky buddy, I purchased the same light from this seller about a month ago and mine came with a 4 cell pack.

Psychotext

Anyone have a recommendation for a helmet light that I can get fairly quickly (UK seller)? I'm using a torch at the moment but the battery life isn't going to cut it.

anthdci

Is there such a thing as too many lights? On my commuter i have
2 x fibre flare LES rear lights on seat stays
1x cateye 5 LED red light on seatpost
2x red LED on helmet, use 1 at a time so i have a spare
2x 1600 lumen flashlights as discussed earlier on the bars
2x white LED on helmet, again 1 on and 1 spare
2 thirds of my spoke have spoke reflectors on.

cooldad

anthdci wrote:

Is there such a thing as too many lights?

Yes. See above.

bamba

where can i find a good bar mounted remote switch to use for a moded self made battery pack ?

Kowalski675

anthdci wrote:

Is there such a thing as too many lights?

diy

I think if you are commuting with 1-2k lumen out of a couple tiny heads, then you should be expecting someone to crash as a result. At 1K lumen, you are putting out about 4 times more light per cm2 than a car with HID lights.

3-500 Lumen out of a couple of heads is plenty for road riding. Even at higher speeds on dark unlit roads I rarely use full power.

wastegate86

how do people rate this??
the fact that its 4000 lumins concerns me a bit
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300931885912?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_4236wt_1136

cooldad

Don't worry, they're Chinese lumins. Halve it.

Ouija

Wastegate86 wrote:

how do people rate this??
the fact that its 4000 lumins concerns me a bit
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300931885912?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_4236wt_1136

It'll certainly be bright enough but there is no way to alter the brightness of the LED's (just on or off) and even just one at full brightness will blind oncoming traffic if used for roads. Also, three XM-L's off a four cell battery pack isn't going to run for more than an hour. The only way it could is if they are running the emitters at a very low amp draw (dim).

Not that that should put you off. Simply that those sort of lights should be used for off road use only and consider buying a seperate battery pack to carry as a spare (or spliced together with the battery that comes with it via a Y-Splitter cable) unless your only planning on running it on one LED (at which point it would of been better to get a better specced single emitter light).